HOUSE ABOUT IT
Worst House on the Street’s Scarlette Douglas reveals easy tips to turn your home from ugly to stylish on a budget
IS your home the worst on your street or in need of a huge makeover?
Property expert Scarlette Douglas has given five easy tips that could turn your house from drab to fab on a very small budget.
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On tonight’s episode - airing at 8pm on Channel 4 - properly siblings Scarlette and Stuart help couple Harry and Yimika transform their ugly terraced house in Croydon.
The first-time homeowners had agreed with the show’s mantra of buying the worst house on the best street, but were desperate to give it a facelift.
Daunted by escalating costs caused by asbestos, the property experts helped the couple save a fortune on the DIY job with their hacks.
Here’s how you can give your own home the Cinderella treatment on a limited budget…
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Spray painting shabby window frames to make them look brand new
The couple painted the outside of their 1930s three-bedroom house white, but this left the window frames looking rather tired.
Thankfully Scarlette had an expensive, easy hack to sprucing them up - spray painting.
She said: “It’s a simple and effective trick to transforming the appearance of a home.
“We want that curb appeal, we want it to look new, fresh, inviting.”
The couple opted for dark grey window frames to match their new porch door.
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Paint your front door black
Scarlette said you can instantly add two per cent to your property’s value by making the front of your house look inviting.
She advised you can achieve this by adding hanging plants, jet-washing any walls or tiles and by adding stylish outside lights.
And she also advised Harry and Yimika to paint their door a different colour.
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She said: “As crazy as it sounds, having a dark door, whether it is dark blue, dark grey or an off black can add quite a lot of value, compared to a white or a pink, a light green.
“Doing these things don’t break the bank but do add a lot of value to your property.”
Cut out showrooms
When it comes to designing your home, prices can rack up when you head to a showroom.
The experts said using a design app can reduce costs, but it can be more risky when it comes to getting the perfect fit.
Scarlette said: “It does require more effort than buying through showrooms, and you could be liable for any mistakes you make.
“So don’t forget - measure once, cut twice.”
Go flat pack
When it comes to getting new wardrobes, it can be tempting to want fitted bespoke options.
Scarlette said: “It’s a tough choice, fitted wardrobe make best use of available space and could add property value.
“But they are expensive and long wait times can be inconvenient.
“Flat pack can be less impressive, but cheaper, faster and yours to keep.”
In the show Scarlette told Yimika getting flat pack wardrobes could be £350 upwards, compared to over £2,500 for bespoke.
Go directly to the manufacturer
Scarlette and Stuart said you should cut out the middleman when it comes to buying stone worktops.
Scarlette said: “As well as being cheaper, going directly to the stonemasons instead of through showrooms, gives you a better feel for the materials.”
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Stuart added: “If all the measurements fit onto a factory off cut, this can reduce costs.”
Harry and Yimika wanted four square metres of a quartz stone for their kitchen, and got this for £1,750, including installation costs.
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